Ensilage-tamping device.



F. DIX

ENSILAGE TAMPING DEVICE. APPLICATION F1LED1ULY13,|916.

L. Patented Feb.19,1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET t.

F. ADRX.

ENSILAGE TAMPING DEVCE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY13.1916.

l 255,63 Eatente Feb l9, 19118'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` positions Boone, in the county of Boone and FRANCIS ADIX, OF BOONE, IOWA.

ENSILAGE-TAMPING DEVICE.

specification of Lettersratent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application :filed July 13, 1916. Serial No. 109,197.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, FRANCIS Anrx, a citizen of the United States, and resident of State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Ensilage-Tamping Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for tamping and packing ensilage in silos.

rlhe object of my invention is to provide an ensilage tamping device of simple construction and of comparatively low costJ which will be efficient and durable.

A further object is to providean ensilage tamper having a weight adapted to be reciprocated in such a way that the weight may be readily and easily moved to dierent in a silo.

A further object is to provide in connection with such a tamping device, as has just been described, operative mechanism for reciprocating the tamping weight, so constructed and arranged as to automatically take up the slack in the rope or othcrflexible device connected with the weight as the silo is lled.

It is a further object to provide such a. mechanism so arranged as to automatically, alternately raise the weight by means of a rope or the like and then to release the rope and permit the weight to be dropped on the ensilage.

A further object is to provide in such a mechanism, means for operatively throwing the mechanism out of gear, said means being capable of being extended into the silo, so that it may be operated by persons within the silo.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a silo, the upper portion being in vertical cross section, equipped with my improved ensilage tamping device, the operative mechanism being shown in side elevation.

Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of the silo wall with the cover removed, showing the arrangement of the frame Work which supports the tampngdevice. v

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the operative mechanism.

Fig. e shows a detail, sectional view taken on the line 4-4l of Fig.' 3.

Fig. 5 shows a detail, sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6V shows a top or plan view of the tamping weight.

ln the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally an ordinary circular silo having a top or Vcover 11 provided with a projecting gable 12.

rSecured to the upper portion of the top on the under surface thereof is a frame member 13. The members which are supported on the frame 13 may havev different forms, but in the form of the invention shown herein, usean upwardly opening U-shaped bracket 14 having its arms embracing on opposite sides of the members 13 and secured thereto.

Spaced below the bracket 14 is a similar bracket 15 having an inverted U-shape.

The shaft 16 is extended through the brackets 14 and 15. The lower bracket 15 is rotatably mounted on said shaft.

Secured between the arms and brackets 15 and extending downwardly therefrom is an arm 17 the lower end of which is received between the arms of an upwardly opening U-shaped bracket 18, the arms of which are secured to the arm 17.

Mounted for rotation below the bracket 18 is a frame 19, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprising two spaced horizontal bars having mounted therebetween two horizontal spaced guide rollers 20.

Mounted on the shaft 16 between the brackets 111 and 15 is the upper end of an arm 21, which is inclined from its upper end downwardly and outwardly and forms a brace for securing and supporting the outer end of an arm 22. The inner end of the arm 22 is suitably supported below the bracket 18, upon the shaft 23 which extends through the bracket 18 and the upper bar of frame 19.

At the outer end of the arm 22 are downwardly extending spaced arms 21 between which is rotatably mounted a pulley 25.

Mounted on the shaft 23 are a pair of arms 2G which extend divergently away from the shaft 23 and are adjustablyse,n

comprises three blocks 29, 30 and 31 secured together by means of boltsr32, side by sidel in afhorizontal plane. The block 31 preferably has a ycurved vouter surface at 33`designed to con-form generally to the curvature of the silo wall, for permitting theblock to approach close to the silo wall for tamping the entsilage adjacent ,to the silo thoroughly.

`Fixed to the central block 30 is a bolt 34 to which is fastened a rope -35 or other flexible device, which is extended upwardly over the pulley 36 and between the pulleys 20, and thence over a pulley 36 mounted on vthe frame of the silo at the upper part of the door opening and thence downwardly to theoperating mechanism as hereinafter described.

Pivoted to the inner member 29 of the weight, is a handle 37, whereby `the weight may be swung from one position to another for tamping ensilagein all vparts of the interior of the silo.- Y i I provide suitable mechanism for alternatelyraising the weight for a short distance and then releasing .the rope 3 5 for letting'the weight drop to tamp the contents of the silo, said operating mechanism comprising a frame havinga horiz'ontal, longitudinal member y38, and horizontaltraverse members 39 forming a frame which is suitably supported upon wheels 40, whereby there is constructed a truck having` atongue 4l and the operating mechanism is mounted on the truck just described, and can be readily and easily moved from place to place. The truck can be anchored in any suitable way ynear'the 'silo when the machine is in use.

VSuitablymounted on the frame of the truck, preferably transversely thereof is a. shaft 42, on which is rotatably mounted a 'drum 43. A t one end of .the drum.`43 is a suitable annular member'44'adapted to vcoact with the brake-shoe 45 Ymounted on a lever 46 preferably ,having-- the lbell crank form. rlhe lever 46vispivoted lbetween its ends, as shown in Fig. 5.y The spring 47, secured to the vupper portion of the Vlever 46 and tothe frame of 4themachine, normally tends to draw the lever`46 to position where brake-shoe 45 .engages the venactingbrakeshoe member 44,511 the drum Extending laterally from the upper end ofthe lever46 is a roller `48. i

On vthe drum 43 preferably opposite the end thereof .having the brake member 44 is a ratchet l49. lLoosely mounted on the shaft 42 is a beveled gear 50'to which is pivoted a pawl 5l having lan engaging member 52, adapted `to coact with the teeth of the ratchet 49, and having a con'iparatively long outwardly eX- tending arm or handle member 53. The pawl 51 also has an arm 54. 'A spring 55 secured to lthe arm 54 and .to the'beveled gear 50, yieldinglyholds the engaging member 52 of the pawl 5l in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet49.

Suitably mounted on vthe frame of the machine, isan engaging member .56 adapted toextend in thepath of travel of the 53, whereby the paw] 5l will be Vmoved out of engagement with the ratchet 49 -at one time during each revolution of thecbereled gear 50. 1t willbe understoodthatthe arm 53 is of such length that during the .time itis engaged bythe member' 56, the drum 43 will be yfreed long enough .for .the weightedmenr ber to drop from its raised positionto rest on the ensilage. Although `tl'ie'weight does not fall the same distance, .on account of the .filling1 of the silo with' ensilage o'r be- Y cause of irregularities in the upper surface of the ladder, ythe vrope 35 will'nevertheless be wound up onthe druma .predetermined distance with each enoavenient .of

the pawl 52, whereby the rope 'will automatically adjust Yits length to .the height of the weight in the silo. i

Rotatably mounted on'the frame of :the truck is a shaft 57, preferably arranged elon-l gitudinally of the truck on substantiallythe same level as the shaft 42.

ltotatably mounted on oney end of the` shaft 57, is a sleeve 58 having on one end a beveled gear 59 in mesh. with the beveled gear 50 andhaving at its other' end a clutch member 60. i' l .Slidably Abut Vnon-.rotatably mounted on the shaft 57 is a coacting clutch member y6l.

Centrally-pivoted on a bracket 63, mounted on .the frame of thetruck, is a lever64, one end of which lis'operatively connected with zthe clutch member 61, andthe other end of which is secured to i also to a rope 6.6. vrBhe spring 65 is secured to the frame of .themachineand is adapted to normally move the lever 64 to position for-holding .the clutch members VV6l' Land .'60 in engagement with each other. i i

vThe .rope y66 extends over al guide pulley 67 mounted on the frame ofthe machine on the opposite Vside of .the lever 64, fromv a springf65 and f The rope 66 extends over the pulley 67 upwardly over a guide pulley 68 at the upper part of the Silo frame, and thence into the interior of the silo, so that said rope 66 is accessible to a person on the interior of the silo, tor permitting such person to throw the clutch members out of engagement.

On the shaft 57 is a pulley 69 or other suitable gearing device, whereby rotation may be imparted to the shaft 57 Jirom any suitable source of power.

The rope 35 extendsy downwardly over the pulley 36 and is wound on the drum 43. The lever 46 and the roller 43, are so located with relation to the drum 43 and the rope 35, that the rope 35 travels over the roller 4S, as shown in F ig. 5, in such manner as to move the lever 46 to position for releasing the brake-shoe 45 at all times when the rope 35 is taut. TWhen, however, the rope 35 is allowed to become slack, it will be obvious that the spring 47 will draw the brake 45 into engagement with the coacting brake member 44 on the drum 43.

In the practical operation and use of my improved ensilage tamping device, the frame for supporting the rope 35 and the pulleys 25 and 20 are installed at the top of the silo. The rope 35 is threaded over the pulleys in the proper manner, and the truck with the operative mechanism thereon is moved to proper position with relation to the silo, and is suitably anchored.

The rope 35 is wound on the drum and the rope 66 is extended over the pulley 68. The gearing device 69 is connected with the source of power which runs the ensilage cutter, or some other prime mover, and the machine is ready for operation.

It may be well to mention at this point, one or two ot the problems involved in the storage of ensilage. rIhe ensilage is cut with a machine for that purpose and elevated to the upper part of the silo and discharged through a long flexible chute.

It is necessary that the ensilage be tamped or packed in the silo. This is ordinarily done by men who simply tramp it down as it is ted in through the chute. This work requires the man to handle the chute, and another man or men to tramp the ensilage.

It is extremely difficult to get men to work in a silo for the purpose of packing the ensilage. The work is very hard and it is obvious that during summer weather and warm autumn days air in the silo is very close and disagreeable.

It is consequently diticult to find men who will do this kind of work. Even if they can be found, the `use ot men for this purpose is expensive.

Where my improved device is used, one man can handle the end of the chute and discharge the ensilage where he desires, and can also, `by means of handle 37, swing the tamping weight to any position desired in the silo for thoroughly packing the ensilage discharged from the chute.

On' account of the manner in which the pulley 25 is supported on the arm 22, and the manner in which the arm 22 is supported tor swinging around the center of the silo, the operator can readily swing the weight to practically any part of the silo.

lf, for any reason, any parts of the mechanism should not operate properly, the operator in the silo can by means ot the rope 66, disengage the clutch and throw the tamping mechanism out of gear.

The tamping mechanism will move into gear automatically whenever the tension on the rope is released.

One very important feature of my device arises from the mounting of the rope 22 for swinging around the silo. It will be noted that its swinging movement is limited by the arms 26 and 27, so that the tamping weight can be easily swung into the space between and below said arms.

One of the important advantages of my improved machine, arises from the arrangement of the pawl and ratchet mechanism in combination with the brake. The size of the gear 50 is such that the weight is drawn up approximately two feet and then dropped. lV hen the handle on the pawl engages the device 56, a slight further rotation of the shaft 57 movesl the pawl away from the member 56 and permits it to again engage with the ratchet on account of the action of the spring 55.

The roller 48 and the parts connected therewith are so arranged that when the rope 35 is taut, the roller is held up by said rope for holdingthe brake shoe 45 out of engagement with the brake member 44. It will be obvious that if no brake device were employed, the dropping of the weight and the rapid unwinding of the rope 35, would rotate the drum with such momentum that more than two feet in length of the rope 35 would unwind therefrom. However, when the pawl is released and the weight in the silo unwinds the rope 35, and said rope is permitted to be slack, or when no tension is imposed thereon, the spring 47 immediately moves the brake-shoe 45 into engagement with the brake member 44, so that only a sufficient length of the rope is unwound to permit the weight to do its work.

It will thus be seen that the rope will be held practically taut at all times, although immediately after the pawl is released, not enough tension will be imposed on the rope to hold the brake in inoperative position. It, therefore, follows that while the beveled gear 50 is ot such size as to raise the weight practically two feet upon each upward mwement, it is not vnecessailly truethat the weight drops theconiplete two feet.

As the silo fills up,k the downward stroke of the rope will obviously beslightly less than the upward Inovernent thereol and any slacliin the rope will be automatically taken up.` In other words, the length of the rope from lthe drinn to the weight is 4automatically shortened las the silo fills up.V

My .entire device is of simpleand inexpensive construction, and is so built that the parts secured to the silo inay loe readily renioved therefrom and transferred o n the truck which supports the operative mechanisni Afrom one" location to another'.

The weighted element is ,made in sections, so that its sitze and weig t may loe varied, desired, yand is provided with the Curbed tlat face, adapted to iit snugly on'the interior of Copies of lthis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the C Washington, D. C.

the cir: ing the ensilage close `to the wall.

I clairnas my invention:

In an ensila'ge tamping device, an arm, means lior lsupporting one end of said arm for permitting the arm tovswing in la horizontal plane around said means ,a brace con,- nected with said means and connected with said arm for supporting the other end thereof, a kguide device on the other end ofsaid arin, guide devices on the rstend oir' said .cularlo wall for thoroughly tamparin adapted to swing therewith, a weight, aV

flexible device secured to said weight and extended around said guide devices, and means for operating said flexible device ltor alternately drawing said weight upwardly and then releasing said weight.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 26, 1916.

FRANCS ADIX.

y cmmssioner of Bate-nts, 

